NOTES:Welcome to
the fifteenth iteration of the David Music Poll. This year we had a record 114
respondents.Some only put singles,
showing how our listening habits are changing.But there was an interesting overlap– more than I can remember – in
those people who listed albums.Lorde is
the first purely debut artist to top the poll since 2008 … when the poll was
won by Vampire Weekend, this year’s number two.Like Vampire Weekend, The National also hits the top ten for the third
album in a row.Two-time winner Arcade
Fire, which has hit the top ten four times, is a relatively low ninth place
this year, reflecting that more than a few people (myself included) were
underwhelmed by Reflektor. Tegan and Sara crack the top ten for the first time,
as does Beyonce and debut artists Chvrches and Haim.Janelle Monae’s been here once before, and
Kanye West three times.Previous winners
Phoenix and Franz Ferdinand and former runner-up Yeah Yeah Yeahs released new
albums to little effect, while Neko Case just missed out on her fourth trip to
the top ten and Kacey Musgraves made a notable debut.

Individual lists are to be found at http://davidmusicpoll.blogspot.com/

Thanks to everyone who participated this year!

/:) David

I praise the Lorde

MY ESSENTIAL ALBUMS:

1)Lorde, Pure Heroine

2)Tegan & Sara, Heartthrob

3)Chvrches, The Bones of What You Believe

4)Daughter, If You Leave

5)Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City

6)The National, Trouble Will Find Me

7)Sara Bareilles, This Blessed Unrest

8)Sin Fang, Flowers

Notes:Clearly
this is the year of female-fronted new-wavish bands for me.Lorde did something astonishing – that is,
created something I hadn’t heard before, and wanted to hear over and over
again.Tegan & Sara scored most of
my year with their synthpop turn, which Chvrches chiming in with their own mix,
which harkened back to my college radio.Daughter also harkened back to alternative 90s music, but in a more
moody way.Then two of my favorite bands
lived up to their previous albums – no small feat.Sara Bareilles ended up making my feel-good
Lilith album of the year, and Sin Fang hit my radar right at the end of the
year – but I’ve been listening to it so religiously ever since (especially the first
two tracks) that I’m giving it a berth here.Honorable mentions go to Laura Marling, Haim, the Great Gatsby
soundtrack, Icona Pop (the most fun album of the year),

Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires in the City
HAIM, Days Are Gone
Lorde, Pure Heronie
Chvrches, The Bones of What You Believe
The Strokes, Comedown Machine
The National, Trouble Will Find Me
Jake Bugg, Jake Bugg
Purity Ring, Shrines
Daft Punk, Random Access Memories
The Weeknd, Kiss Land

Tara A loves Mark
Mulcahy

Mark Mulcahy, Dear
Mark J. Mulcahy, I Love You

Best Coast, Fade
Away

Arcade Fire,
Reflektor

The Joy
Formidable, Wolf's Law

Ms Mr, Secondhand
Rapture

Jake Bugg, Jake Bugg

Lindsay R copies
Carbon

I'd apologize for the bulk of my lists being taken up by
Carbon Leaf, but... I don't want to. I mean, how often do you get a year in
which your favorite-ever band releases not one, but TWO full-length albums?

TOP 9 ALBUMS
1. Carbon Leaf - Constellation Prize

2. Alpha Rev - Bloom

3. Butch Walker - Peachtree Battle (EP)

4. Carbon Leaf - Ghost Dragon Attacks Castle

5. Panic! at the Disco - Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to
Die!

6. The Colourist - Lido (EP)

7. Lucius - Wildewoman

8. Matt Nathanson - Last of the Great Pretenders

9. Neko Case - The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight,
the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You

5. Neko Case, The
Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You

6. Daft Punk,
Random Access Memories

7. The Strypes,
Blue Collar Jane

8. Smith Westerns,
Soft Will

9. Rhye, Woman

10. Midlake, Antiphon

In with the old
for Josh L

I
saw the Arcade Fire on Colbert and thought "eh," and I like the
Waxahatchee, but since I'm kind of between music-acquisition systems I just
haven't been listening to enough new stuff this year... so I'll split my
throwaway write-in vote on Neil Young Live at the Cellar Door and Bob Dylan
Bootleg Series Volume Ten (Septuagenarian protest vote! Rock on old white
guys!)

Amanda M’s
National pride

Album: Trouble Will Find Me, The National

Singles: Royals, Lorde; Million Miles, TV On The Radio;
The Wire, HAIM

Ted G’s Royals
affair

My
top sevens songs below, and no, that fucking what does the fox say isn’t on it.

1.
Lorde, Royals

2.
John Legend, All of Me

3.
Ciara, Body Parts

4.
Vampyre Weekend, Hanna Hunt

5.
TV on the Radio, Mercy

6.
Disclosure, When a Fire Starts to Burn

7.
Kanye West, Blood on the Leaves

Andy M has the
band with the best band name

Deafheaven, Sunbather

Easily my favorite album of the year. A sprawling, oddly
affecting wash of guitars and screams held together by some truly insane
drumming. And the pretty pink album cover makes for an eye-catching shelf
decoration.

Emelia Z hasn’t
quite hurried up

I
just realized my essential album of 2013 was two years old. Fail.

M83,
Hurry Up We're Dreaming

Songs

"Hold
On, We're Going Home" - Drake

"Team"
- Lorde

"Do
What U Want" - Lady Gaga, R. Kelly

"Mirrors"
- Justin Timberlake

"Young
and Beautiful" - Lana Del Ray

"Story
of My Life" - One Direction

"The
Monster" - Eminem, Rihanna

Beth R can’t stop

My most essential album would probably be: Miley Cyrus,
Bangerz. So cliche, but it's the one I've listened to most.

Elizabeth K picks
her Kings

Kings of Leon, Mechanical Bull

JT, 20/20 Experience

Anna Calvi, One Breath

Jaci has found The National

These
days I am always a long way behind in music. I have been obsessed by
Mumford & Sons this year, for example, especially 'Babel' and 'Sigh No
More'. Otherwise, my essential albums of the year have been the
National's 'Trouble will Find Me', and Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi's,
'Rome'. I just got Laura Marling's, 'Once I was an eagle' and it sounds
great so far; same with the Arcade Fire's 'Reflektor'.

Kevin W Hangs Tuff

Top 10 2013 Albums

1. King Tuff, Was Dead – Well, it’s a re-issue.
But nobody got their hands on this the first time out. So this isn’t
just the album of the year, but the best one I’ve picked up in a number of
years—this is why he’s the King. I mean, “Sun Medallion” sounds like the best,
lost track from Beggar’s Banquet and it’s not even the best cut on the
album.

2. Shannon & the Clams, Dreams in the Rat House—It was great on the
first spin and keeps getting better. The title track isn’t close to being the
best, but its video does feature a gorilla drumming with fried chicken: “Rat House.”

3. Nobunny, Secret Songs: Reflections from the Ear Mirror—Good God, this
man is a strange one. The bunny mask’s a bit tired these days, but the sound
here isn’t. All over the map, but it’s his best work yet.

4. King Khan & the Shrines, Idle No More –He’s back! And in splendid
form. The horns, the yelps, the swagger. A campy video. It’s all here.

5. The Dirtbombs, Ooey Gooey Chewy Ka-Blooey!—Bubble gum, baby! It gets
a little “concept” toward the end, but Mick Collins does what he wants to do.
And always does it well.

7. Oblivians, Desperation—No way this album could live up to
expectations. These guys are in their 40s now. No way they’re cranking out
another “Pill Popper.”
Then again, it would be kind of pathetic if they’d tried to.

8. John Paul Keith, Memphis Circa 3 a.m.—Not perfect, but JPK always has
his moments. His best moment of the year came with Motel Mirrors, though.

Three most essential albums for me this year were Rkives
by Rilo Kiley (cannot stop listening to it), Delta Machine by Depeche Mode and
Cold Fact by Rodriguez (which I know didn't come out this year, but still it is
AMAZING).

Dean Didn’t Start the Fire

If
interested, here's a Spotify link to my favorite songs of 2013 (though some
tracks were released before 2013): Dean's List 2013

I spent far too much of 2013 listening to "Muffin
Man," "Puff the Magic Dragon," & "What Does the Fox
Say?" This was far harder than it should've been!

Songs:

1) Bastille - "Flaws"

2) Andrew McMahon - "Catching Cold"

3) Paul Otten - "Girl You're Alright"

4) Walk the Moon - "Anna Sun"

5) Walk Off The Earth - "Red
Hands"

6) Explorers - "The Rocketeer"

7) A Great Big World - "Say
Something"

Albums:

1) Bastille - Bad Blood

2) Andrew McMahon - The Pop Underground

3) Walk the Moon - Walk the Moon

4) twenty on pilots - Vessel

5) Florida Georgia Line - Here's to the Good Times

6) The Civil Wars - The Civil Wars

Kieran’s Days are here

My essential album this year was:

HAIM, Days Are Gone

Singles:

1. American Author, Best Day of My Life
2. Lorde, Royals
3. OneRepublic, Counting Stars
4. Zedd, Stay the Night

Andrew F takes a walk in the
Park

1. Kacey Musgraves, Same Trailer, Different Park

My
most played album of the year. Exemplifies what is currently wrong with
country radio- this should have had four top ten hits. Stunned but
pleased that it's getting critical love.

2. Lindi Ortega, Tin Star

Best
alt.country album of the year.

3. Lori McKenna, Massachusetts

Best
singer-songwriter out there when it comes to tunes about being married for a
long time and having five kids. This album allows me to forgive her
for co-writing 'I Want Crazy' with Hunter Hayes.

Matt U Rings the
Bell

Most
essential album of the year:

Patty
Griffin, Silver Bell (finally released this year, though recorded many years
ago)

Other
essential albums:

Neko
Case, The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, the More I
Love You

Patty
Griffin, American Kid

Discovery
from prior year:

First
Aid Kit, The Lion's Roar

Song:

Neko
Case, I'm a Man

Jim D Gets Down

I
feel like many of my discoveries that turned into LOVE this year were from 2012
and before! Mostly I'm talking about Kishi Bashi!!!! But also
Vacationer, Shadows on Stars, Bear Hands, Lord Huron. LOVE all of
those!!! And not that you asked this question, but the albums (that I'm
aware of!) that I'm MOST excited for this year are the new Kishi Bashi and the
new Tokyo Police Club. Of course, if PJ Harvey puts something out, then
2014 will absolutely amAZing! :)

OK,
here we go:

Albums:

1.
Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, We the Common

2.
Lorde, Pure Heroine

Sky Ferreira, Night Time My Time

3.
Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City

Goldfrapp, Tales of Us

4.
Gin Wigmore, Gravel & Wine

The Knife, Shaking the Habitual

Porcelain Raft, Permanent Signal

5.
Polica, Shulamith

Phedre, Golden Age

Foxygen, We are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic

Songs:

1.
Fools, by The Aikiu

2.
Royals, by Lorde

Omanko, by Sky Ferreira

Philosophize In It! Chemicalize With It!, by Kishi Bashi

3.
We the Common, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down

Black Skinhead, by Kanye West

Diane Young, Vampire Weekend

4.
Work, Iggy Azalea

5.
Black Sheep, by Gin Wigmore

Preeti C’s
battering Ram

My essential albums:

1. Ram-Leela (OST) - Aditya Narayan

2. Random Access Memories - Daft Punk

3. Raanjhanaa (OST) - A. R. Rahman, Jaswinder Singh,
Shiraz Uppal

4. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (OST) - Vishal Dadlani,
Shalmali Kholgade

5. Racine Carrée - Stromae

Singles:

1. Lorde - Royals

2. Stromae - Tous Les Memes

3. Osman Mir & Shreya Ghoshal - Nagada Sang Dol

4. A. R. Rahman - Aise Na Dekho

5. Sara Bareilles - Brave

6. Beyonce - Pretty Hurts

7. M.I.A. - Lights

Cat T’s Rhye
observations

Favorite
album of the year (as well as fantastic new discovery): Rhye (artist): Woman
(album). If Sade were Scandinavian, this is the album she would've made.

Favorite
song of the year: Closer by Tegan and Sara

Joe M’s Finds

I'm predictably mellow in my music tastes, but also
shamelessly so. After the first album listed, there's no particular order.

The National - Trouble Will Find Me

Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle

Jason Isbell - Southeastern

Lorde - Pure Heroine

Courtney Barnett - The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas

Haim - Days Are Gone

Some top songs of 2013:

Royals by Lorde

Get Lucky by Daft Punk

Cover Me Up by Jason Isbell

Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke

San Francisco by Foxygen

Heather H’s Sound choices

ALBUMS
Various artists, Sound City - Real to Reel (by far my favorite album this year)
Billy Joe & Norah, Foreverly
Kayne West, Yeezus (hate to put it on my list because he is such a Wanker
but it is a really good album)
Avicii, True

SINGLES
"Brave" by Sara Bareilles
"Stoned and Starving" by Parquet Courts
"Counting Stars" by Onerepubic
"Norbat Okelo" by Owiny Sigoma Band
"Let it Go" (performed by Idina Menzel) - from the Frozen soundtrack

Simone
E saves Rock and Roll

Top
album of the year:

(Fall
Out Boy) Save Rock and Roll

Top
7 songs:

My
Songs know what you did in the dark (Fall Out Boy)

Unconditionally
(Katy Perry)

Man
I think I love her (Stereo Skyline)

Everything
I ask for (The Maine)

Blurred
Lines (Robin Thicke)

Alone
Together (Fall Out Boy)

True
Love (Pink)

Scott T draws his Maps

Essential Album of 2013:

Maps,
Vicissitude

Other
Essentials in 2013:

Still
Corners, Strange Pleasures

Marnie,
Crystal World

Gold
Fields, Black Sun

Disclosure,
Settle

Austra,
Olympia

Other
Essentials Discovered in 2013:

Santigold,
Master of My Make-Believe (2012)

Top
Songs of 2013:

1.
White Lies, There Goes Our Love Again

2.
Cults, High Road

3.
Still Corners, The Trip

4.
Armin van Buuren, Beautiful Life

5.
Cayucas, High School Lover

6.
Marnie, The Hunter

7.
Maps, You Will Find a Way

8.
Disclosure, White Noise

9.
Gold Fields, Dark Again

10.
CHVRCHES, Recover

Kathleen P’s
Orange is the new black

Blood Orange, Cupid Deluxe
Mela Machinko, Hov Said it Best
Fitz and the Tantrums, More Than Just a Dream
Daft Punk, Random Access Memories
Jason Isbell, Southeastern
Charli XCX, True Romance
Sky Ferreira, Night Time, My Time
Haim, Days Are Gone
CHVRCHES, The Bones of What You Believe
Kanye West, Yeezus

Cassandra P gives
a big XO to Beyonce

Most Essential:

Beyonce, BEYONCE.

For so many reasons involving words like: secret delivery
(“Wait, what? Beyonce just…she dropped an album?? Just now???); a great video
for every song; the sexiest songs about marital sex ever; a feminist monologue
for an audience who might not otherwise hear one; a celebration of women. If
you’re not a Beyonce fan, this album is essential. If you listened/watched this
album and didn’t like it, it is still essential that you listened to/watched
it.

1. Wake Me Up by Avicii
2. Counting Stars by One Republic
3. Gov. Christie Traffic Jam by Bruce Springsteen and Jimmy Fallon :-)
4. Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus (yeah, yeah, I know people hate her, but I love
this song. Blame GLEE as first heard it on the show and fell in love with it)
5. Pompeii by Bastille
6. Get Lucky by Daft Punk
7. Mirrors by Justin Timberlake

Joe H’s Jai
society

Here's my 2013 list:

Jai Paul - Jai Paul

Beyoncé - Beyoncé

Autre Ne Veut - Anxiety

Volcano Choir - Reprave

Blood Orange - Cupid Deluxe

Arcade Fire - Reflektor

Disclosure - Settle

Deptford Goth - Life After Defo

Rhye - Woman

HAIM - Days Are Gone

Nick E’s heart
throbs

I felt 2014 was a good year for music overall, but when
it comes to naming essential albums, I’ve only got a few. New albums from
perennial favorites Belle & Sebastian, Iron & Wine, Arcade Fire, and
Future Bible Heroes feel too uneven to be essential. Or maybe we’re just
growing apart? And while new songs by Arcade Fire, Bastille, and Vampire
Weekend have won probably permanent spots on my iPod, these are the albums I
enjoy from start to finish:

1. Tegan & Sara, Heartthrob

2. The National, Trouble Will Fine Me

3. my bloody valentine, mbv

Susan V turns it
around

I
am so honored be included, though I realize my music this year has been
dominated by children's songs as I try to sing to the baby all the songs my mom
used to sing to me. I don't think "Bushel and a Peck" or "John
Brown's Baby" will rank very high in your poll!

Here
are my top songs (though I think some might be 2012!)

1)
That Wasn't Me, Brandi Carlile, Bear Creek

2)
Into the Wild, LP, Into the Wild

3)
QUEEN, Janelle Monae, Electric Lady

4)
Royals, Lorde, Pure Heroine

5)
Turn It Around, Lucius, Wildewoman

6)
This Old Guitar, Lucinda Williams, The Music Is You

7)
Song for Zula, Phosphorescent, Muchacho

I
also loved Heart’s performance of "Stairway to Heaven" at the Kennedy
Center Honors but that was 2012, too. Did I mention I had a baby? Looking
forward to the results!

Teri Y’s a
throbber

Tegan and Sara, Heartthrob - This was the only full album
that I consistently listen to all year long.

I loved a lot of singles from Lorde, Icona Pop, Two Door
Cinema Club and Eli Lieb, among others. For me, 2013 was a better year of
singles although most of them wore out after a couple months of heavy rotation.

Jacqueline Q’s
full Disclosure

Top Albums

1. Disclosure, Settle

2. Sleigh Bells, Bitter Rivals

3. Cut Copy, Free Your Mind

4. Haim, Days are Gone

5. Chvrches, The Bones of What You Believe

6. Au Revoir Simone, Move In Spectrums

7. Foxygen, We are the 21st Century Ambassadors of
Peace & Magic

Top Songs

1. Disclosure, White Noise

2. Daft Punk, Get Lucky

3. Sleigh Bells, Bitter Rivals

4.Lorde, Royals

5. Haim, Falling

6. Lady Gaga, Applause

7. Robin Thicke, Blurred Lines

Jonas R’s Rkive
fire

While 2013 was a fantastic year for music for me, I had a
hard time getting to a top 10. I have a
solid top 8 and a handful of near-misses that I liked, but didn't quite love.

Rilo Kiley is one of those bands that I wake up almost
daily hoping to find a new release from.
That they assembled their latest album from tracks that were left on the
cutting room floor only underscores how great the music they released to date
has been. The album starts with a
beautiful homage to LA, "Let Me Back In." But it's really about my
own heart they are singing. And by the end of the first verse, there they were,
squarely back in, and they've been there since the very fist play.

Here goes, then:

1. Rilo Kiley,
rkives

2. Steve Martin
& Edie Brickell, Love Has Come For You

3. Neko Case,
The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder

I Fight, The More I Love You

4. Vampire
Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City

5. Yeah Yeah
Yeahs, Mosquito

6. Jim James,
Regions of Light and Sound

7. Jake Bugg,
Shangri La

8. Lorde, Pure
Heroine

Honorable Mentions

1. Thao &
The Get Down Stay Down, We the Common

2. Bad Religion,
True North

3. Kate Nash,
Girl Talk

4. Parquet
Courts, Light Up Gold

5. The Civil
Wars & T Bone Burnett, A Place at the Table

6. Devendra
Banhart, Mala

7. Iggy &
the Stooges, Ready to Die

Emily M’s Lorde
above

My top albums of 2013:

Lorde, Pure Heroine

John Mayer, Paradise Valley

Frank Turner, Tape Deck Heart

Daft Punk, Random Access Memories

Arctic Monkeys, AM

The Great Gatsby soundtrack

Justin Timberlake, The 20/20 Experience

Haim, Days are Gone

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, The Heist

The Avett Brothers, Magpie and the Dandelion

Trevor I doesn’t
fuck with anyone’s dreams

The Smith Street Band, Don't Fuck With Our Dreams

Superchunck, I Hate Music

Restorations, LP2

Appleseed Cast, Illumination Ritual

Mikal Cronin, MCII

Radioactivity, Radioactivity

Jon S’s list is
anything but Common

10. The Knife, Shaking the Habitual

I had been looking forward to another album from The
Knife ever since 2007's Silent Shout, which set the bar for goth pop.
While Shaking the Habitual wasn't everything I hoped it would be,
particularly some of the rather self-indulgent extra long jam session tracks in
the middle, The Knife took bold chances and tried new things rather than
resting on their laurels. Plus, "Without You My Life Would Be Boring"
is an incredible track.

9. Chelsea Wolfe, Pain is Beauty

Another album I've been waiting on. I've picked up every
Chelsea Wolfe album since 2010's The Grime and the Glow. She has such a
haunting, distinctive voice. Similar to Zola Jesus, but more gritty and folk.
Unfortunately, her music composition wasn't nearly as developed as Zola Jesus.
At least, not until Pain is Beauty. With this album, we're finally
hearing the promise that was hinted at but never owned until now.

8. Mutual Benefit, Love’s Crushing Diamond

The latest album from Mutual Benefit is a masterpiece of
gentle, earthy reflection. Not a single song detracts from the feeling of sweet
reverie.

7. my bloody valentine, m b v

Honestly, I had not been waiting for this album. At all.
I mean, I loved 1991's Loveless just like every other emo grunge
teenager, and probably for a few years after I would have wanted a follow up.
But that was a long time ago. If anything, I was nervous that this new album
might detract from the legacy, like some other come back early 90's bands. Boy
was I wrong. Unlike The Knife, who blazed new ground, or Chelsea Wolfe, who
grew into herself, my bloody valentine just did their thing. And it was just as
good. In fact, it was possibly better. Deeper, more intricate, and just a hint
at what might lie ahead.

6. Rhye, Woman

While I'm mostly an indie rock/folk with a decent helping
of electronic kind of guy, I grew up in a house that had Sade more or less on
endless repeat. I don't have a wide knowledge of R&B, other than my
longstanding obsession with Erykah Badu. But I know when something is pretty
much perfect. And if you are looking for an album that is one non-stop, slow
smoldering, "take your pants off" song, this is it. Also, rather
fascinatingly, despite the fact that there are moments I would swear I
was listening to Sade, the lead singer is a man.

5. Daft Punk, Random Access Memories

My eight year old son loves the previous Daft Punk
albums. He discovered the band when they did the soundtrack to TRON: Legacy.
He was highly disappointed with the new album, saying it was "kinda
boring" and "slow". Maybe this means that both Daft Punk and I
are getting old, but I love it. In fact, I think it's my favorite Daft Punk
album to date. A perfect blend of classic electronica, dance, and pop.

5. Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City

These guys. I don't really know what to say. They keep
trying stuff, it keeps being really good. Some things are pure carry over from
the previous albums and some things are startlingly new. I wish there's been a
bit more focus on percussion, which is my absolute favorite thing about the
band, other than Ezra Koenig's voice. But still, it's a damn good album.

4. Waxahatchee, Cerulean Salt

I loved the opening track of this album so much I put it
in the video I made about my Man Made Boy tattoo. Katie Crutchfield adds
some new layers and more instruments to the sound from her previous album, American
Weekend, but loses none of the intimacy and heartache that made me swoon
over that album, too. It's so nice to see some straight up folk rock with
depth, nuance, and humor.

3. DARKSIDE, Psychic

Moody, dark, soulful, and with a solid beat, this album
harkens back to the glory days (or glory box??) of classic trip-hop without
ever feeling nostalgic or tired. With the de-emphasis on vocals, and a driving,
dynamic album-length arc, this is the perfect music to write something creepy
to.

2. Swearin’, Surfing Strange

I don't know what they fed those Crutchfield girls
growing up, but I want it for my kids. Waxahatchee's Katie Crutchfield has a
sister named Allison, who is in the band Swearin' and while somewhat less of a
frontwoman, she is no less talented. I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't
discover Swearin' on my own. My little brother turned me on to them, suggesting
that it sounded like my kind of thing. And boy is it. It's a little like early
90's alt-grunge when it wasn't being pretentious, and a little like late 00's
indie when it wasn't been whiny, and a little like the inside of my brain all
the time.

1. Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, We the Common

Look, I'm not saying it's actually the best album of
2013. But it was unquestionably THE album for me. I had some trouble getting
into Thao Nguyen's previous work, but this album is so generous, so accessible,
that it's been like a bridge to all her previous offerings. It's an album for
the outlaw in all of us. It's the rambler, free spirit, laugh out loud even
when you know damn well you look like an asshole album. In my humble opinion,
we could all use some of that.

Joel P ordinarily
refuses to Settle. But in this case…

Obviously, the big tussle was between Lorde, Vampire
Weekend and Disclosure for the top album spot, but in the end, I had to pick
the one I've listened to and loved the most.

Albums:

1. Disclosure, Settle

Start to finish techno bliss with no dreary dubstep
nonsense to drag it down. Will be listening to this album forever.

2. Lorde, Pure Heroine

It's not a perfect album, and there are definite holes
and a few repetitions, but for a 17-year-old she came out of nowhere and proved
she has the chops. This is her debut! And it's stunning.

3. Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City

They rock and their sound really grew up with this album.
It's brilliant start to finish.

4. Beyonce, Beyonce

Because duh, the queen, etc. etc.

5. CHVRCHES, The Bones of What You Believe

It seems like everybody's trying to do this sound these
days - the synth heavy creepy indie vibe with a squeaky high-voiced chick lead
- but nobody does it better than Chvrches

6. Betty Who, The Movement

It's not even a full album, it's just an EP, and it was
still one of the most exciting releases of the year. Mark my words she'll be
everywhere in 2014.

7. London Grammar, If You Wait

Demure and lovely and everything I adore.

8. King Krule, 6 Feet Beneath the Moon

This skinny little British boy has surprising depth that
will carry your through a rainy afternoon.

9. Angel Haze, Dirty Gold

She's the future of rap because she actually has
something really big and honest to say. A genius debut album.

Also rans: Jillette Johnson, Water in a Whale (because I
sang along to the whole thing for months) Lady Gaga, ARTPOP (because I danced
around to it for weeks until it came out and everybody else hated it and it
disappeared)

Singles:

1. Tongues (feat. Kopps) by Joywave

Hands down my most-played song of the year

2. High Society, Betty Who

3. Lay Me Down, Sam Smith

I literally want to have sex with this man's voice

4. Gun, by CHVRCHES

Because you!

5. Fool of Me, by Say Lou Lou and Chet Faker

6. Let Go, by RAC Kele and MNDR

7. Neptune Estate by King Krule

Marisa P yells
Timber!

Like the Grammy Awards, I’ve decided that Beyoncé’s album
came out too late in the game to be considered for 2013. If you don’t abide by
these rules then EFF THIS LIST! BEYONCE FOR EVERYTHING! [ed.
Note: She counts. So we’ll add her to your tally.]

Marisa

ESSENTIAL ALBUMS

[Beyonce, Beyonce]

Justin Timberlake, The 20/20 Experience

Haim, Days are Gone

James Blake, Overgrown

Lorde, Pure Heroine

Sara Bareilles, The Blessed Unrest

Tegan and Sara, Heartthrob

Drake, Nothing Was the Same

ESSENTIAL SONGS

Daft Punk featuring Pharrell, Get Lucky

Justin Timberlake, Mirrors

Avicci, Wake Me Up

Rihanna, Stay

Lorde, Royals

Miley Cyrus, We Can’t Stop

Kanye West, Bound II

Siobhan V’s blue
mama

1.
BEYONCE, Beyonce

2.
ARCADE FIRE, Reflektor

3.
VAMPIRE WEEKEND, Modern Vampires of the City

4.
CAMERA OBSCURA, Desire Lines

5.
MAN MAN, On Oni Pond

Annie M’s
radioactive choice of singles

Imagine Dragons, “Radioactive”

Lorde, “Royals”

American Authors, “Best Day of My Life”

Katy Perry, “Roar”

Sara Bareilles, “Brave”

Pharrell Williams, “Happy”

One Republic, “Counting Stars”

Brant R finds it’s
better to Fade

My Top Ten for 2013:

Yo La Tengo, Fade

Katy Perry, Prism

Mikal Cronin, MCII

Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City

Palma Violets, 180

TV Girl, Lonely Women [EP]

Phosphorescent, Muchacho

Haim, Days Are Gone

My Bloody Valentine, m b v

Kurt Vile, Wakin on a Pretty Daze

Other 2013 Recordings I Enjoyed:

Neko Case, The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The
Harder I Fight, The More I Love You

Lorde, Pure Heroine

Eleanor Friedberger, Personal Record

Chvrches, The Bones of What You Believe

Kim Deal’s six 2013 singles

Courtney Barnett, How to Carve a Carrot into a Rose [EP]

Washed Out, Paracosm

Albert Hammond, Jr., AHJ [EP]

Rhye, Woman

Waxahatchee, Cerulean Salt

Sky Ferreira, Night Time, My Time

Capital Cities, In a Tidal Wave of Mystery

Audio Push, Come as You Are

Daft Punk, Random Access Memories

Foxygen, We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors Of Peace
& Magic

Kacey Musgraves, Same Trailer, Different Park

Blood Orange, Cupid Deluxe

Chance the Rapper, Acid Rap

Arcade Fire, Reflektor

Janelle Monáe, The Electric Lady

Phoenix, Bankrupt!

Youth Lagoon, Wondrous Bughouse

Miley Cyrus, Bangerz

Kanye West, Yeezus

Empire of the Sun, Ice on the Dune

Some Pre-2013 Stuff I Got Around to:

Albert King, Born Under A Bad Sign [1966]

Chromatics, Kill For Love [2012]

Frankie Rose, Interstellar [2012]

I Break Horses, Hearts [2011]

Phosphorescent, Here's To Taking It Easy [2010]

Johnny Thunders, So Alone [1978]

Tame Impala, Innerspeaker [2010]

Sammy Davis, Jr., The Sounds Of '66 [1966]

Crosby, Stills & Nash, CSN [1977]

Jay Reatard, Watch Me Fall [2009]

Candi Staton, I'm Just A Prisoner [1970]

Mac DeMarco, 2 [2012]

Johnny Hartman, I Just Dropped By To Say Hello [1963]

Chairlift, Something [2012]

Now, Now, Threads [2012]

Dirty Projectors, Swing Lo Magellan [2012]

Arlo Guthrie, Alice's Restaurant [1967]

Goat, World Music [2012]

Faces, Long Player [1971]

Donny Hathaway, Everything Is Everything [1970]

Dan P gives the
Kid a break

Last
year wasn't a big music year for me... But I always have to say Patty Griffin
is essential for me, so:

#1)
Patty Griffin, American Kid

That's
IT!

Jonathan V’s rockin’
Caveman tunes

1. Caveman, CAVEMAN

An outstanding live band with a knack for hard-to-pin-down indie fugues and
ghostly harmonies. The two-plus drummers in the mix only add to the hypnotics.
Everything you've heard is true.

2. Various Artists, AFTER DARK VOL. 2

A mixtape that seems to emanate from the sleek, unforgiving universe Nicholas
Winding Refn's "Drive". Nothing else captures deep city
nighttime cool like this collection. Synthy, vampy, and oh so
indispensable.

3. On An On, GIVE IN

One of the biggest surprises of the year, this band (formed expeditiously from
the ashes of Scattered Trees when they split just prior to some studio
sessions) exudes a herky-jerky, dreamy vibe that transports you instantly, and
leaves you stranded.

4. Moderat, II

Seductive, mellow, and urgent. Sometimes simultaneously. (You'll
have to hear it to find out how.)

5. Phoenix, BANKRUPT!

6. Vampire Weekend, MODERN VAMPIRES OF THE CITY

Let's play Jeopardy! A: "WHAT DID I TELL YOU?! They're effing
BRILLIANT!" Q: "What you say to VW haters when you shove MODERN
VAMPIRES OF THE CITY in their faces."

7. Daft Punk, RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES

In a world where music tastes have divided into subfactions of subfactions, it
was a joyful development to see this pair of robots from France achieve Michael
Jackson levels of consensus. And by reviving Disco?! If I'm
dreaming, may I never wake. (Bonus points for including frequent Muppet
collaborator Paul Williams on this record, I have no words.)

8. The National, TROUBLE WILL FIND ME

Chilling, stirring, etc. All the wonderful and terrible things for which we've
taken Belle & Sebastian's evil twins for granted.

9. Shearwater, FELLOW TRAVELERS

A cover record that outclasses most albums of original
material. See my below songlist for one recommendation from its
tracklist, but please, DO NOT MISS their brilliant
"I-CAN'T-BELIEVE-IT'S-THE-SAME-SONG" cover of Coldplay's "Hurts
Like Heaven".

10. Arcade Fire, REFLEKTOR

SONGS

1. Shearwater, F*CKED UP LIFE

2. Glass Candy, WARM IN THE WINTER

3. Kavinsky, ODD LOOK

4. Major Lazer, YOU'RE NO GOOD

5. Wale, LOVE / HATE THING

6. The National, PINK RABBITS

7. Daft Punk, GET LUCKY

Cecil C gives a shoutout to a
song from a musical based on a piece of War and Peace

My
favorite song of the year was:

Sonya
Alone from Natasha and Pierre.

Kristin E washes
that Paracosm right out

I
never feel I have a proper grasp on full albums, but these have offered
essential reflections at the very least:

Washed
Out, Paracosm

Neko
Case, The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I
Love You

Haim,
Days Are Gone

Replacements,
Songs for Slim

Capital
Cities, In a Tidal Wave of Mystery

Lorde,
Pure Heroine

Katy
Perry, Prism

Phosphorescent,
Muchacho

Arcade
Fire, Reflektor

New
discoveries, past years:

Chromatics,
Kill for Love

There
are always others, but there is more music than memory.

Giles G shocks the
Monkeys

Hi David. Just under the wire (I hope!) here are my
fave albums of the past year, not including the guilty pleasure I took from
Miley Cyrus' Bangerz.

1. Arctic Monkeys - AM

2. Atoms for Peace - AMOK

3. Eminem - The Marshall Mather LP 2

4. J. Cole - Born Sinner

5. Miley Cyrus - Bangerz (Fuck it! I enjoyed this album.
Sue me!)

Chris P’s in
Electric Lady-land

I
bought less music this year than i have in past years but here it goes.

Janelle
Monae "The Electric Lady"

Jessie
Ware "Devotion"

Jamie
Lidell "Jamie Lidell"

Kate
Nash "Girl Talk"

Little
Boots "Nocturnes"

Tegan
& Sara "Heartthrob"

V.V.
Brown "Samson & Delilah"

Patty
Griffin "Silver Bell"

STRFKR
"Miracle Mile"

Travis
"Where You Stand"

Ay
... as far as 7 songs go...

Janelle
Monae "Primetime (feat. Miguel)"

Jamie
Lidell "I'm Selfish"

Jessie
Ware "Wildest Moments"

Eels
"On the Ropes"

STRFKR
"While I'm Alive"

Little
Boots "Beat Beat"

Tegan
& Sara "Closer"

Dash G goes for
The Monster

Album
of the Year:

1:
Marshall Mathers LP 2- Eminem

2:
Yeezus - Kanye West

3:
AM - Arctic Monkeys

4:
Wolf - Tyler the Creator

5:
6 feet beneath the moon - King Krule

6:
Summer Knights - Joey Bada$$

Best
new artists:

King
Krule

Joey
Bada$$

Flume

Alicia G wakes up
to AM

Best
Album: Arctic Monkeys "a.m."

2nd
Best Album: Vampire Weekend "Modern Vampires of the City."

3rd
Best Album: Lorde "Pure Heroine"

Best
Song: "Just Give Me A Reason" - Pink and the guy with the mediocre
voice.